Lake Michigan ice cover hovers around record levels

Wednesday

Mar 5, 2014 at 8:45 AMMar 5, 2014 at 12:43 PM

By Jim.Hayden@hollandsentinel.com(616) 546-4274

The continuing cold temperatures have again increased the ice coverage on Lake Michigan to 90.8 percent — its highest level since 1994. The ice coverage was at 90.1 percent on March 3 then dropped until the most recent spike.The highest maximum ice cover for Lake Michigan is 93.1 percent in 1977, according to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.The lowest is 12.4 percent set in 2002.The ice coverage on the entire Great Lakes is 91 percent — close to the 1979 record of 94.7 percent ice coverage.Last season, the ice coverage of the Great Lakes was 38.4 percent.Lake Superior is 94.7 percent; Lake Huron is 94.9 percent; Lake Erie is 93.8 percent; and Lake Ontario is 36.6 percent.Temperatures in the Holland area will remain below the about 40 degree average for this time of year.Today’s high will be about 22 degrees with a low of 5 degrees tonight. The record low for March 5 is 5 degrees set in 1982.Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high of 28 degrees and a low of 15 degrees.Friday will see a high of 36 degrees — the highest since Feb. 21 hit 37 degrees — with weekend highs around 30 degrees.Season snowfall is at 149.8 inches, close to the record of 159.9 inches set in 1969-1970.March’s snowfall is at 4.5 inches, which is also the average for the month.